Halloween Sangria
Forget being the big candy bar house—I want to establish myself as the Halloween Sangria house.
Trick-or-treating for my sisters and me was an Olympic sport. We knew which houses had the most elaborate decorations, which refused to answer the door, and most importantly, which handed out the king-sized candy bars. Maximizing our Halloween haul took strategy, dedication, and a father who patiently escorted us through multiple neighborhoods, all in the name of MORE CANDY.
While we brought home far more chocolate bars than any human large or small should ingest on an annual basis, the idea of Halloween as a single night when kids can dress as their favorite super hero, stay up too late, and yes, eat too much candy, still appeals to me. I also admit that it sounds like a parental nightmare.
To all of the adults who patiently take their kids trick-or-treating, answer their doorbell with a full basket full of candy, and listen to their children endlessly barter Starbursts for Snickers: I offer full glasses of Halloween Sangria.
Blood red, filled with frozen grape “eyeballs,” and boosted with brandy, this spook juice is the perfect pick up during a long night of trick-or-treating. Sangria is also an ideal Halloween drink for a party, because it is easy, festive, and affordable to make in large quantities. The frozen grapes keep the sangria cold without watering it down, ginger ale adds fizz and spunk, and slices of citrus brighten.
I bought the ingredients for my Halloween Sangria at Aldi, which has become one of my favorite places to load up on staples for which the brand name is less important. It’s a no-frills shopping experience, but once you have the system down—insert a quarter for your cart, then retrieve it at the end; bring your own bags; bag your own groceries—I find that the savings Aldi can pass on to customers because they skip the frills leave dollars in my pocket. Their wine selection is also excellent and super affordable. It’s a sangria-maker’s paradise.
This will be my first year handing out candy in a home of my own, and while I will have plenty of the good stuff for the kiddos, I think the grown ups deserve a bit of refreshment too.
Stop on by the Halloween Sangria house. We’re pouring!
Graveyard Chocolate Cheesecake Dip
Sweet and Salty Halloween Chex Mix
And for your leftover Halloween candy:
Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies
Have a spook-tacular Halloween!
Halloween Sangria
The perfect Halloween drink! Spooky sangria made with “blood” red wine and frozen grape “eye balls,” citrus slices, cinnamon, and brandy.
Yield: 1 pitcher (serves 4-6)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole black grapes
- 1 cup whole green grapes
- 2 oranges, sliced into rounds
- 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
- 1 lime, sliced into rounds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 (750 ml) bottle fruity red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais
- 1 (12 ounce) can ginger ale
- Colored sugar, for rimming glasses
Directions:
- Rinse and de-stem grapes, then pat dry. Spread in a single layer a baking sheet, then place in the freezer at least 2 hours before you plan to serve.
- In a large glass pitcher, combine 1/2 of the orange slices (reserve the second half for serving), lime, and lemon slices. Add the brandy and cinnamon stick and stir gently to combine. Slowly pour in the wine. Refrigerate sangria for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight (a longer chill time will increase the flavor).
- When ready to serve, add the ginger ale to the pitcher and stir gently with spoon. To sugar the glass rims, place the colored sugar on a plate, then rub an orange slice around the glass rim. Dip the rim of each glass into the sugar, coating well. Fill glasses with frozen grapes and reserved orange slices, then slowly pour in the sangria. Sip immediately and enjoy.
Did you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
More Halloween party tricks and treats:
- Graveyard Chocolate Cheesecake Dip
- Boo-tiful Halloween Cake from i am baker
- Halloween Popcorn Balls from Cook the Story
I am sharing this post in partnership with Aldi as a holiday brand ambassador. Thanks as always for your support of the companies I work with and value!
About Erin Clarke
I’m fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food taste incredible. Wearer of plaid, travel enthusiast, and firmly convinced that sweets and veggies both deserve a place at the table. MORE ABOUT ERIN…
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Bah-riliant!
Now THAT”S a good idea–a great way for both young and old to enjoy Halloween!.
Great idea! Adding this to my Friday plan.
I want to be YOUR neighbor! I’d have to pretend to have a child just so I could snatch a glass of this….or just pretend I’m a kid trick-or-treating, which wouldn’t be too far fetched considering I’m just shy of five feet tall. Although, now that I’ve briefly thought about it, that doesn’t sound like the brightest idea, I’d just have to settle for inviting myself over… ;)
I’d definitely take this over a big candy bar!! This sounds really refreshing!
Sign me up for trick-or-treating at your house!!
Also, yes, on the things I’m not going to buy organic anyway (let’s be honest), Aldi produce-pick-of-the-week is just fine. Plus their blue corn tortilla chips are delicious.
This sangria would definitely make my Halloween better! I’m loving the cinnamon and ginger!
But I’d want to drink it along with eating those king-sized bars. That’s probably my idea of heaven!
Sounds like the perfect pairing to me! Thanks Mir
OMG GIRL, YES!!!! I’d so rather be known as the sangria house than the candy bar house lol, That adult at the door with her wine glass in hand? That’s me! Sangria is my fave, and this one sounds amazing!
Wow, what a gorgeous cocktail and that rim is halloween perfect.
Thanks so much Amy! I just could not resist the festively colored sugar in the grocery store checkout line
This is right up my alley!
You are so right that adults DESERVE their sangria on Halloween! I am with you!
Thank you so much for backing me up on this important point. Cheers!
Yum! This sounds delicious and perfect for Halloween. This year has been a bit hectic, but I’m hoping by next year we can finally put on our Halloween parties again. This will definitely be served!! Though I’ll probably run a few “tests” before them…you know for quality purposes ;)
Hooray for king size candy bars and Halloween sangria!!!
This is so beautiful! I love your spook juice! I definitely want to come to your house!
Stop it. Just stop it right now. THIS IS AMAZING. I’m a huge sangria freak and I’m just swooning over this. Can I come over with Christina and Phi and we all just drink sangria? (virgin for Christina obv.) ;) perfection.
COME ON OVER LYNN! The door is always open, and I am pouring!
Love this idea! Fun and festive. The sangria house sounds like the best one to be, for sure. I definitely agree that an grown up drink makes Halloween more fun. Last year I had a margarita in my “coffee” cup as we strolled around the neighborhood with the kids. Game changer!
Annie, I love your trick-or-treating style! I hope this Halloween is a fun one too :) Thanks so much!
Oh, I think you’ve really got a good idea going here. Sangria House for the win! I’m going to try to be the donuts and cider house this year, but I might need to add sangria to the list too. :)
Donuts and cider??? I want to trick-or-treat at your house Lindsey!
Eeep! I love this! The glitter is perfect. I know which house I’d be hanging out at if I was trick or treating!
I am down with this!
What a gorgeous drink! This plus chocolate sounds like the best night ever! Happy Halloween!
Hahahaha trick or treating is totally an olympic sport! We used to go to my cousins neighborhood a few towns over b/c they gave out bigger and better candy. I kinda miss trick or treating… why does it have to be for kids only? We should get to walk around and get free sangria…
yes, I will always trade you my Snickers for your Starbursts
Which is why we make such a great team :-) thanks Elizabeth!